Sounds like an oxymoron, but we’re not talking about the reconstituted ramen you ate in
college.

These are the handmade noodles steeped in gourmet broth and spiked with shredded meat and
vegetables that have become cult food in Japan, said Bethia Woolf, owner of Columbus Food
Adventures, who addressed a luncheon group yesterday at the Columbus Metropolitan Club, part of a
program about local food trends.

“I think it’s going to be the next big thing in Columbus,” Woolf said, citing Mashita Noodles, a
food cart owned by chef John Franke that will make its debut today outside St. James Tavern, north
of Downtown.

The panel members talked about the city’s food centers — Grandview Heights, the Short North,
Bethel Road and German Village, to name a few — as well as the rebirth of Downtown as a dining
destination.

“Some of us are starting to feel that our investment as early food pioneers is beginning to pay
off,” said Moore, who directs the community of 49 independently owned and operated restaurants in
Columbus that make up Dine Originals.

“Downtown is the center for Central American food in Columbus, with Peruvian, Venezuelan, Cuban
restaurants,” Woolf said.

They talked about the profusion of food trucks in the city. “We’ve gone from zero to more than
100 in a couple of years,” Terapak said.

“We celebrate food trucks in Columbus,” Moore said. “There has been a lot more tension (between
food-truck and restaurant owners) in other cities.”

The best way to track your favorite truck is by following its Facebook page or Twitter feed,
Woolf said.

Emerging food trends also were discussed.

In addition to gourmet ramen, “small plates” — small amounts of food on small plates — are
changing the way we eat in Columbus, Mann said.

There are more gastro-pubs — bars that serve top-of-the-line food and drinks — and restaurants
that serve gastro-pub food than ever before.

“That speaks to the new economy,” Moore said. “People don’t want to spend $150 for a dinner for
two anymore.”

More restaurants are using locally produced foods. And there’s a fascination with grilled cheese
sandwiches. But trends can take restaurants only so far.

“There are too many people in Columbus jumping on trends,” Woolf said. “We need more innovation
in Columbus” to compete with the likes of New York City, she said.